DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE AIRLINE RESERVATION INFORMATION SYSTEM

ABSTRACT
Airline Reservation Systems (ARS) used to be standalone systems. Each airline had its own system, disconnected from other airlines or ticket agents, and usable only by a designated number of airline employees. Travel agents in the 1970s pushed for access to the airlines' systems. Today, air travel information is linked, stored, and retrieved by a network of Computer Reservations Systems (CRS), accessible by multiple airlines and travel agents.

This report is a summary of the study that was undertaken to design and implement an airline reservation system. The airline reservation system designed in this project was developed using php, java script and html as the programming languages and MySQL as the database Management system. The researcher reviewed the literature of reservation systems in chapter two and explored the advantages and limitations of reservation system in real life situations.

The researcher used interviews and questionnaire methods during the data collection phase, these data collection methods helped the researcher to better understand the existing system in use. Case tools and data flow diagram were used during the development process to simulate the process of airline reservation and ticket booking. The outcome of the study was an online airline reservation system tested and implemented in the case study Rwenzori Airlines to book, schedule and reserve flights.

LIST OF TABLES - . iv

LIST OF FIGURES .. vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.. viii

ABSTRACT - - . ix

1.1 Background of the Study - .1

1.2 Problem statement - - .2

1.3 Objectives - - .2

1.3.1 General Objective - ..2

1.3.2 Specific Objectives - 2

1.4 Scope of the Study - - .3

1.5 Significance of the Study - 3

LITERATURE REVIEW - - 4

2.1 History of Airline Reservation Information System - - 4

2.2Reservation Information Systems - ..5

2.3Components of Reservation Information Systems - - ..6

2.3.1Hardware - ..7

2.3.2Software - 7

2.3.3Data - - 7

2.3.4People - - 7

2.3.5Procedures - 8

2.3.6Database - 8

2.4Types of Reservations in Reservation System - .8

2.5Types of Information System - - .9

2.5.1Transaction Processing System (TPS) - - .9

2.5.3Management Information System (MIS) - 9

2.5.4Decision-support systems (DSS) 10

2.5.5Executive Support System (ESS) - - - 10

2.6Application of Reservation Systems . 10

2.7Advantages of Reservation Information Systems - - . 10

2.8Limitations of Reservation Information System - - - 11

METHODOLOGY .. 12

3.1 Overview. - 12

3.1.1System Study and Analysis .. 12

3.1.2 Interviews.. 12

3.2.2 Questionnaire - - 13

3.3 Requirements Determination - - 14

3.3.1 Requirements Analysis - - .. 14

3.4Output Design - 14

3.5System Implementation - . 15

3.6System Testing 15

3.7Database Structure - - 16

SYSTEM DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND IMPLEMENTATION - - .. 20

4.1System Design Objectives - - .. 20

4.2 System Design - - 21

4.2.1Logical design - - .. 21

4.2.2Conceptual design - .. 21

4.2.3Physical design - - .